Articles

PAs Go Global

An article on Healthcare Global describes how other countries around the world are adopting the PA model. A few highlights:

Three PA educational programs have developed in Canada, two in Ontario and one in Manitoba. Canada also has a national certification exam and a process for maintenance of certification.

The Netherlands has the most well-established PA profession in Europe. Ten years after it accredited its first PA training program, 800 PAs are in practice providing a range of care that approaches the breadth of the PA’s role in the U.S.

The United Kingdom (U.K.) is well on its way to establishing a PA profession. Four PA educational programs were developed in the U.K. in the last 10 years and have graduated approximately 150 PAs.

South Africa has three educational programs in the PA model training graduates to provide care in rural areas in response to a critical shortage of physicians.

China is considering many possible roles for physician assistants, such as caring for the large migrant worker population of rural residents who move into large urban centers to staff high tech and clothing factories.